Playing-pieces.



No. 738,701. P'ATENTED SEPT. a, 1903.

G.SA-UER.

PLAYING PIECES.

APPLICATION IILBD 1120.13. 1001. I

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a j-f l UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903. A

OURT SAUER, OF KQNIGSBERG, GERMANY.

PLAYING-PIECES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patentdfl'o. 738,701, dated September 8, 1903.

llpplication filed December 13, 1901. Serial No. 35,827. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GURT SAUER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, of the city of Konigsberg, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Playing-Pieces for Games Played on Checker-Boards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, '01 ear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, ref erence being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The present invention relates toa novel kind of playing-piece for games played on checker-boards. Each of the new pieces bears the representation of a playing-card, by which means every piece is given a certain value. Bases are also provided to receive the pieces employed for the game, in which two, three, or four persons may take part.

' For playing the game fifty-two pieces are required, and twenty-six white, twenty-six black, twenty-six red, and twenty-six green bases, into which the pieces fit. two pieces, each bearing the representation of a differeut playing-card, are otherwise identical.

. able material, are of various colors, which colors represent certain arbitrary values which are bestowed upon the pieces inserted in the so-colored base, so that pieces otherwise.

of like or similar species or value can be distinguished from each other. The bases afford, on the one hand,"a meansfor distinguishing,

the pieces of the various players, and, on the other hand,. as above explained, furnish a method of bestowing upon the pieces grades of value. The bases are preferably given the form of a shallow dish or tray, into which the piece can be readilyinserted or removed.

players, first, mixed, according to the game The bases,which are made of any suitplayed, and, second, in suits. .If the pieces are dealt according to method 1, each player will receive pieces of all four suits, the number of pieces of each suit being different. In the course of the game it would be impossible for a player to remember which pieces belong to him and which to his opponents. For this purpose of identification the bases are employed, one player putting his pieces in white bases, a second player his in black, a third his in red, a fourth in green. If the pieces are dealt in suits according to method 2, each player receives only one suit, and bases for the above purpose are therefore unnecessary. In this case, however, by employing the variously-colored bases a higher value may be given to any piece. For example, all pieces inserted in the white bases may form the highest pieces of their class, those in black bases the next highest, and so on; For instance, ace of diamonds, being in white base, equals highest ace; ace of hearts, being in black base, equals second ace ace of spades, being in red base, equals third ace; ace of clubs, being in green base, equals fourth ace; king of hearts, being in white base, equals highest king; king of spades, being in black base, equals second king; king of clubs, being in red base, equals third king; king of diamonds, being in green base, equals fourth king, and so on.

In all games where pieces of various different species or values are employed the bases of various colors may be used in similar manner to introduce still further species or values. In games where pieces of various kinds are employed, distinguished merely by their color, the bases may be used to introduce additional values, as follows: Supposing there are two or more differently-colored kinds of pieces, those, say, in white bases are given the highest value, those in black the second, and so on: In this manner, according to the game-rules agreed upon, the number of pieces remaining otherwise the same on, either side, one player can by means of the bases be given any desired further number of pieces of one or other kind, more than the other players. By means of the bases, also, pieces which according to the rules of the game be- .ing played are entitled to a higher value can be given by such insertion into a base of a certain color, similarly to the way in which in g draughts apiece is given a higher value by being crowned. By means of the bases, however, intermediate values between such a king or crowned piece and an ordinary piece can be bestowed where the game requires it.

The new playing pieces and bases are shown on the annexed drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a playing-piece bearing the picture or impression of a playingcard. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig;

3 is a vertical section-of a base for the piece.

4 Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same base with piece inserted, the latter not in section; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of base and inserted piece. Fig. 6 is a top plan viewv of a base with the words Diiierent colors thereon to indicate. that the bases are made of diiferent colors. 7

In each of the figures, a isthe playing-piece proper, and b the base, here shown as a shallow dish or tray. It is obvious, however, that the precise form of piece and base may be considerably varied without departure from the essential feature of the invention.

It may further be remarked that the bases, in-

verted so that the open ends lie downward, may also be employed themselves as playingpieces for certain games.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-- A set of game-pieces comprising pieces rmarked with representations of playingcards,'and a similar number of bases, each base being hollow, with open top, to receive a. playing-piece and of the shape of a hollow checker-man and reversible to serve as check- OURT SAUER.

WVitnesses FLATS, KRAUZS. 

